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CHAPTER TWELVE
There is some truth to the claim that Corg contributed to the Invid's defeat； such as it was； but only in the sense that his premature blood lust succeeded in alienating Sera that much sooner。 On the other hand； the so…called parallels with the Zentraedi Khyron are rather forced and remain unconvincing。 To be honest； who can we point to that did not contribute to the defeat？ One might as well blame Marlene； Sera； Zor； for that matter。 Lay the blame on love； if you will； on Protoculture。
Dr。 Emil Lang； The New Testament
Corg assembled his Urban Enforcer squadrons at the northern tip of the island and manded them to begin a southward march； sanitizing the city top to bottom。 Shock Trooper ships would back them up； creating apocalyptical fires to flush the Humans from their dwellings。
The residents thought they were witnessing some sort of drill until the first streams of annihilation discs hit the streets； then there was sheer panic。 People fled from burning buildings only to be caught up in volleys of fire from the Invid ground troops。 Block after block burned； filling the evening sky with infernal light。 The brick and concrete facades of buildings collapsed into the avenues； sending up storms of glowing embers and acrid ash。 Hundreds were trapped in the rubble； and hundreds more perished in the alleyways and streets； in shafts and courtyards。 No one could prehend what was occurring。 Had they brought this on themselves somehow？ Had they transgressed or violated some Invid regulation no one had been aware of？ Or was this simply the way it would always end from now on？ No more old age or disease； no more heart attacks or accidents； just random bursts of blinding light； spurts of systematic extermination。。。
Corg smiled down on the ensuing destruction from the cockpit of his mand ship。 There； Princess； he laughed to himself。 Observe your life forms now！
Downtown； in Simon's dance theater； Jorge held a note that had just been delivered by one of the underground's black eagle courier birds。 The sounds of distant explosions had already reached into the building； and an atmosphere of dread prevailed。 〃Listen up； everybody！〃 he announced。 〃The Invid are on a rampage。 They're offing everyone！ Sweeping through the whole city； north to south！〃
〃Oh； my God！〃 muttered Simon。 〃They're through with us！ I knew it would e to this someday！〃
Lancer looked over at Rand； his face all twisted up。 〃It's because of us； Rand；〃 he seethed； just loud enough for his friend to hear。 〃We brought this on。 Just our being here。。。〃
Rand accepted it with a kind of shrug and took another bite from the sandwich Jorge had fixed him before all hell broke loose。
〃We've got to get out of here；〃 one of the dancers was telling the rest of the troupe。 〃They're getting closer！〃
The man was right； Lancer realized； the explosions were louder now； near enough to shake the theater itself。 The first blast to strike the building threw everyone to the floor。 The lights flickered once and went out； a few people screamed。
〃We have to help these people get to shelter；〃 Lancer told Rand when intermittent power returned。 Dust and particles of debris filled the air。 Lancer had his weapon drawn。。。
Rand； who had almost swallowed the sandwich whole； pulled it from his mouth and gasped for his breath。 〃Get them to shelters？ What about them getting us to shelters？〃
Jorge was standing beside them； helping a petrified Annie to her feet。 〃We can reach the subway from the basement；〃 he said rapidly。 〃We'll be safe there。〃
〃Depends on how serious they are；〃 Rand started to say。 But Jorge was already herding his fellow performers toward the exits。
Two more crippling explosions erupted in their midst just then； and all of a sudden the interior of the theater was in flames。 Most of Simon's…troupe had already made it through the exit doors； but the director himself was standing stock still； as though in shock。 Lancer ran over to him and spun him around； catching the look of devastation in his eyes。
〃Simon； you've got to leave！〃
〃My theater。。。〃
Lancer put his hands on Simon's shoulders； steering him away from the blaze that had already scorched both their faces。 〃Listen to me。。。The theater's gone。 And it won't help anybody if you go up with the rest of it。〃
〃It's over；〃 Simon said flatly； overe。
〃e on； man。 There'll be other shows； we'll get through this。〃
Simon offered a wan smile。 〃Maybe。。。〃
A column collapsed behind them； bringing down a portion of the balcony and fueling the fire。
〃Of course there will！〃 Lancer yelled。 〃Unless we don't get you out of here right now！〃 Rand was by the door； one hand shielding his face from the heat； yelling for them to get a move on。 Lancer grabbed hold of Simon's hand and led him off at a run。
〃Unbelievable；〃 Scott was saying on the rooftop across the river。 〃It looks like they're trying to destroy the whole city and everybody in it。〃 He scanned the infrared binoculars north to south； then lowered them。
Rook and Lunk stood silently by the retaining wall； mesmerized by the fiery spectacle。 Marlene was off to one side； hugging her arms to herself。 Scott swung around to Lunk。
〃How much Protoculture will we have if we cannibalize the Cyclone power systems？〃
〃Maybe a dozen canisters。〃
〃We have to act quick；〃 Rook told Scott。 〃Annie and the boys are somewhere in the middle of that firestorm。〃
Scott tightened his mouth。 Why haven't they contacted me as planned？ he asked himself； already dressing them down。 With a dozen canisters of fuel； they would have just enough to power the three Veritechs for a short time。 But unless they were able to resupply afterward； that would effectively finish the mecha； fighters and Cyclones both。 And even the instrumentality nodes of Reflex Point were a good three hundred miles west of the city。
〃e on； Scott；〃 Rook was saying； her mind made up。 〃Let's switch the canisters and get out there。〃
Scott issued a silent nod of consent and went down on one knee by Marlene's side while Rook and Lunk moved off。 〃You better stay behind；〃 he told her。 〃I don't want to risk bringing you any closer to that place。 I can see what you're already going through。〃
〃I…I'll be all right here；〃 she stammered； as though chilled to the bone。 〃But promise me you'll be careful； Scott。〃
They touched briefly； and he was gone。
In the central hive； Sera had been alerted to the wave of death her brother was unleashing against the populace。 She sat rigidly at the top of the mushroomlike dais now； hands clasped tight to the arms of the throne； as views of the destruction reached her via a circular projecbeam。
〃This is intolerable！〃 she screamed to her Enforcer guards； who stood unflinching below the dais cap。 〃Corg is deliberately sabotaging the experiment！ The defeats he has suffered at the hands of the Humans have affected his conditioning！〃
Everywhere the projecbeam took her； the scene was the same： buildings ablaze； Human life…forms in postures of agony； and more。 But all at once Sera gasped as an image of Lancer filled the holo…field。 He was out in the madness； his Gallant stiff…armed in front of him； returning insignificant blasts of vengea